The santralistanbul (Turkish: santralistanbul), opened in 2007, is an arts and cultural complex located at the upper end of Golden Horn where two small rivers, Alibeyköy and Kağıthane meet in the Eyüp district of Istanbul, Turkey. The center, consisting of an energy museum, an amphitheater, concert halls and a public library, is situated within the Silahtarağa campus of Istanbul Bilgi University that was formerly the first power station of the Ottoman Empire. Arts, cultural, educational and social buildings of santralistanbul, having an area of 118,000 m2, are all housed in the facilities of the former Silahtarağa Power Station, which served from 1914 to 1983 for supplying Istanbul with electric power. The site is named after the Turkish word "santral" for power plant.
History of the power station
Redevelopment project The redevelopment plan was initiated by Oğuz Özerden, a young businessman and founder of Istanbul Bilgi University. He succeeded to persuade Erdoğan's government, and finally obtained the rights from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources to establish and administer a cultural complex and its third campus on the site of the former power plant. The related protocol foreseeing the transfer for a 20-years term was signed on May 1, 2004, at the Khedive Palace in Istanbul. A lawsuit was filed by the Chamber of Electrical Engineers' Istanbul branch, which had developed 2001 a plan with Istanbul Technical University to establish an electro-techno park. However, the Ministry of Energy preferred the project of Istanbul Bilgi University. The project's concept is similar to the Tate Modern in London, however, it is much more comprehensive as it comprises a technology museum, an amphitheater, concert halls, a public library and residencies for visiting artists. The redevelopment project was realized in Istanbul Bilgi University's partnership with Doğuş Group, Ciner Group and Laureate Education, Inc., with the main sponsorship provided by Kale Group and the City of Istanbul. The cost of the project exceeded US$45m, exceeding the original budgeted of US$30m. İhsan Bilgin, Dean of the School of Architecture at Istanbul Bilgi University, was responsible for the architectural coordination, while the master plan was carried out by the architects Nevzat Sayın (public library) and Emre Arolat (multi-purpose hall). Han Tümertekin joined the team for the design work on the energy museum. The architectural work was completed in three years. Some parts of the complex are still under construction. SantralIstanbul's preliminary opening was held on July 17, 2007, with Prime Minister Erdoğan present. Three exhibitions of overseas artists were shown. Visiting hours during this period were limited between 19.00 through 23.00 hours due to ongoing construction works at the site.
The official opening took place on September 8, 2007. It is expected that around 1.5 million people will visit SantralIstanbul. Former directors were Serhan Ada and Kerim Goknel. As of 2012, the complex has been run by Istanbul Bilgi University Board.
Legal Framework The industrial structure, one of the works of the late Ottoman period and the early modernity of the Republic, was registered with the decision numbered 2532 of 1991 of the Istanbul I Numbered Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection Board of the Ministry of Culture. Since the boiler rooms, engine rooms, cooling water channels, coal installation (power plant), residences, local transformer building, and two bridges over the Alibeyköy (Silahtar) stream form a whole with both their architecture and equipment, it was decided to include them in the scope of protection. The buildings in this area were given the function of 'Industrial Museum.' These areas were re-planned as an industrial museum and educational structure. After that, the Eyüp Municipality's proposal for a cultural facility (Industrial Museum, Technology and Science Center) dated 10.01.2002 was accepted by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and it was decided by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality to re-function it for cultural purposes.
Modern art museum The Modern art museum, with 7,000 m2 floorspace, consists of two new buildings constructed upon the foundations of two old power plants. Only a wall and some small foundations had survived. The architects developed the new buildings based on the original dimensions of the old power plants, using old photographs showing the steam generating water-tube boiler section of the power plant. The 5-story reinforced concrete buildings are clad in steel and glass facades. The two buildings are connected with a glass passage. The galleries are separated with mobile drywalls. The facades of the buildings are covered with aluminium mesh, which allows light to enter during the day, whilst creating a lantern-like effect at night. The building facades can also be used as a projection screen. Today, the building is no longer an art museum. It has been transformed into an educational complex filled with classrooms. The white and gray colors preferred on the floor and wall surfaces in the interior of the museum allowed for a neutral effect to be created inside the historical facility. In this way, the new structures added to the historical texture did not overshadow the old ones and did not harm the visibility of the historical accumulation. The neutrality of the structure also contributed to the visibility of the works to be exhibited in the interior. Nevzat Sayın explained this situation with the following words: “We were going to either build the same old structures or a brand-new building. We tried to find a middle way. It would not be useful to build the same one that was finished. It was not appropriate for a new structure to create a third language and compete with the others. We designed structures as neutral as possible.”
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